2024 American Political Development
Amal Linda Ferouani
Tlemcen, Algeria
Ph.D.
Linda is a lecturer at the University of Tlemcen Faculty of Law and Political Sciences, specializing in constitutional and administrative law. She serves as an administrative assistant in the MIFMA laboratory and as a member of the Laboratory of Rights and Fundamental Freedoms. She teaches constitutional law and legal English. Dr. Ferouani has published papers and a book chapter, participated in an on-site case study on constitutional law at KwaZulu-Natal University, Durban, South Africa, and participated in other international and national conferences. She has been awarded a leadership certificate from the European Parliament.
Joscimar Souza Silva (he/him/his)
Brasilia, Brazil
Professor
Joscimar Souza Silva is an Adjunct Professor at the Institute of Political Science at the University of Brasília (UnB). He holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). He currently serves as the Finance Director at the Brazilian Association of Electoral Researchers (ABRAPEL) and co-coordinates the Research Network on Political Communication and Electoral Behavior in Latin America (LATICOM Group) within the Latin American Association of Political Science (ALACIP). He is also a leader of the Public Information and Elections Group (Ipê) at UnB and coordinates Politeia, a partnership between UnB and the Chamber of Deputies. He was a visiting researcher at the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM). Joscimar received the Best Doctoral Thesis Award (2021-2022) from the Brazilian Association of Communication and Politics Researchers (COMPOLÍTICA) and an Honorable Mention in the Antonio Lavareda Award (2015) from the Latin American Association of Electoral Campaign Researchers (ALICE). He has worked as a General Coordinator and Consultant in the Public Opinion Research market and the area of Digital Transformation. His research interests include political communication in digital media, public opinion, public policies, and political behavior. His hobbies include theater and exploring religious experiences.
Moisés Martínez (he/him/his)
Caracas, Venezuela
Professor
Moisés Martínez is a lawyer with an LLM in administrative law and a master's Degree in Public Management. He is an Assistant professor at the Universidad Central de Venezuela (UCV), where he teaches Administrative and Constitutional Law, and is also a member of the Advisory Board and the Curricular Reform Commission, both at the School of International Affairs. He also has experience as a consultant in the implementation of humanitarian and international projects in Venezuela, with a focus on education in emergency contexts, working with Fe y Alegría, a popular education movement present in 22 countries, as well as advising leading activists and NGOs in Venezuela on projects related to strengthening democracy through civic participation. As a participant in the SUSI program, he wants to deepen his knowledge of American politics and policies in order to create subjects related to the design of public policies at the Universidad Central de Venezuela and to strengthen educational projects between the two countries. He loves technology; as a hobby he develops Learning Management Systems (LMS) based on Moodle, and he wants to learn to code and integrate his passions for education and technology to design policies that improve access and quality of education.
Baygeldi Veliyev (he/him/his)
Ashgabat, Turkmenistan
Baygeldi Veliyev is a specialist in international relations and world politics from Ashgabat, Turkmenistan. He is Dean of International Law and International Relations Faculty at the International University for the Humanities and Development (IUHD). He specializes in preventive diplomacy, neutrality studies, conflict prevention, and peacebuilding. He studied for his hachelor’s degree in international relations at the Faculty of Political Sciences, Ankara University. He has a master’s degree in education management from IUHD. He has been working in this field for more than 17 years. He currently teaches undergraduate students at the International Relations faculty. He has contributed to textbooks used as instructional material at the university level. Mr. Veliyev’s academic textbook, Theory of International Relations is approved and published by the Ministry of Education of Turkmenistan. His key publications include “Turkmenistan’s Foreign Policy Initiatives to Ensure Global Peace, Security and Sustainable Development”, “Preventive Diplomacy and Turkmenistan’s Foreign Policy Initiatives”, “Preventive Diplomacy and Peace through Development”, and “United Nations Regional Center for Preventive Diplomacy for Central Asia (UNRCCA) in Turkmenistan and the Political Basis of its Establishment”. He hopes to gain firsthand knowledge and experience of American politics and culture through participation in the SUSI program.
Pauline Leong (she/her/hers)
Petaling Jaya, Malaysian
Associate Professor, Ph.D.
Pauline Pooi Yin Leong is an Associate Professor and Head of the Department of Communication, School of Arts at Sunway University in Malaysia. She teaches undergraduate courses in political communication, as well as law and ethics in media and communication. Pauline received her Ph.D. in political communication from Monash University and master’s in Mass Communication from Nanyang Technological University where she was awarded the Pearson Education Gold Medal Award for Best Graduating Student. She also has an LLB (Honours) from the National University of Singapore. Prior to joining academia, Pauline worked as a journalist with Singapore Straits Times and also as a lawyer with several law firms in Singapore. She was a visiting fellow with ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore under the Media, Technology, and Society Program (2021/2022). Pauline is the author of Malaysian Politics in the New Media Age: Implications on the Political Communication Process, a book by Springer. She has an upcoming book, Social Media and Political Communities in Malaysia, co-edited with Professor James Chin from the University of Tasmania, and published by ISEAS-Yusof Ishak Institute.
Ivana Ivanova Nikolova Dimitrova (she/her/hers)
Sofia, Bulgaria
Senior Assistant Professor
Ivana Nikolova-Dimitrova is a historian from Sofia, Bulgaria, specializing in U.S. political and social history post-World War I. She is currently a senior assistant professor at the Faculty of History at Sofia University “St. Kliment Ohridski”. Ivana holds a Ph.D. in history; her dissertation topic was related to the political obstacles facing Harry Truman’s social reform policies. She teaches both undergraduate and graduate students. Her coursework is focused on all aspects of U.S. history and the history of international relations in the 20th century. She is excited to participate in the SUSI program, hoping it will deepen her understanding of American political thought, greatly benefiting her future research and coursework. In her spare time, she enjoys long walks and gaming.
Hugo Edgar Navas (he/him/his)
San Miguel de Tucuman, Argentina
Lawyer, Public Administration Specialist
Hugo Edgar Navas is a lawyer from the Faculty of Law and Social Sciences and a Public Administration Specialist at the National University of Tucumán. He is an adjunct professor of the history of political and legal thought as well as a categorized teacher (Category Very) of the Incentive Program for research teachers.
Hugo is a scholar of the ESCALA Teaching Program of the Association of Montevideo Group Universities (AUGM) and carried out academic research stays at the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFRGS), Porto Alegre and at the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG), Belo Horizonte (Brazil). Additionally, Hugo is a Yad Vashem Scholar of The World Shoah Commemoration Center of the International School for the Study of the Holocaust in Jerusalem, Israel. Hugo is committed to professional development and has participated in several teaching improvement courses, taught by the National Teacher Training Institute (INFOD), the BsAS Holocaust Museum, AMIA Cultura, and the Ana Frank Argentina Center on teaching the subject of the Holocaust and the Genocides of the 20th century.
Christopher Isike (he/him/his)
Pretoria, South Africa
Professor
Christopher Isike is a Professor of African Politics and International Relations and Head of the Department of Political Sciences at the University of Pretoria. He is also the Director of the African Centre for the Study of the United States, University of Pretoria (ACSUS-UP). He serves as the current President of the African Association of Political Science (AAPS), and member of the Board of Directors of Global Development Network (GDN). Professor Isike conducts research from an Africanist lens and teaches international relations theory, strategic and security studies, and security theory at the University of Pretoria. His research interests include African soft power politics, women, peace and conflict studies, women and political representation in Africa, rethinking state formation in Africa, politics in a digital era, and African immigration to South Africa. A C2-rated researcher by the NRF, Professor Isike has over 80 publications in top national and international peer-reviewed journals including chapters in books published by reputable publishing houses globally. He is editor-in-chief of Africa’s foremost political science journal, Politikon: South African Journal of Political Studies (2020 to 2024). Professor Isike also serves on the editorial board of several reputable international journals, such as the International Political Science Review, the Canadian Journal of African Studies, and the African Journal of Political Science. He is on the editorial team of Territory, Politics, Governance, and Strategic Review for Southern Africa.
Le Thi Bich (Hana) Ngoc (she/her/hers)
Ho Chi Minh, Vietnam
Lecturer
Hana Ngoc is a lecturer specializing in international relations. She earned a bachelor's and master's from the University of Social Sciences and Humanities at Vietnam National University. She currently teaches foreign policy, focusing mainly on American foreign policy and political theories. She is a Ph.D. candidate in International Relations at Vietnam National University, researching U.S.–China relations from the perspective of constructivism. Participating in this program, she aims to deepen her knowledge about U.S. politics and thought. Moreover, she can learn from and interact with excellent peers from around the world.
Tahmida Khanam (she/her/hers)
Chittagong, Bangladesh
Lecturer
Tahmida Khanam is a lecturer in the Department of Political Science at the University of Chittagong, Bangladesh. She holds an expert master’s degree in international relations from Monash University, Australia (2021), a master of philosophy in political science (2022), and a master of social sciences in Political Science (2011) from the University of Dhaka, Bangladesh. Prior to her current role, she served as a Lecturer in Political Science under the 33rd Bangladesh Civil Service (General Education) at the Ministry of Education in Dhaka. Tahmida has published articles in international peer-reviewed journals and local academic journals. Her teaching areas include U.S. foreign policy, comparative politics, ethnicity, religion and politics, and Central Asian politics. Through the SUSI program, she aims to deepen her understanding of U.S. politics and institutions to enhance the curriculum and teaching quality in this field. Her leadership skills have been honed through participation in the 2020 Arts Graduate Leadership Program at Monash University and leading various student organizations. She has completed several workshops and courses on research methodology, civics, and dissertation writing, and has presented papers at international conferences, reflecting her commitment to academic excellence and professional development.
Zuzana Poklembova (she/her/hers)
Prešov, Slovakia
Associate Professor, PhD.
Zuzana Poklembova is an associate professor, lecturer, and researcher at the Institute of Educology and Social Work, Faculty of Arts, University of Prešov, Slovakia. She holds a Ph.D. in Social Work and received her master’s degrees in Economics and Social Work. She is the secretary of the European Association of Schools of Social Work (EASSW) and a member of the Slovak Association of Social Work Educators (AVSP). Her academic focus is on self-care, self-compassion, and mindfulness in social work, the economic aspects of social work, social policy, and professional practice in social work education. She is a tutor of professional practice and co-guarantor of social work-study programs. She is involved in Self-Care Lab FF UNIPO, which under her direction co-houses the Global Self-Care Initiative (GSCI). By participating in the SUSI program, she aims to obtain a deeper understanding of U.S. politics to improve future social workers’ curriculum and enrich it with more international aspects, global awareness, and understanding to be to support students in improving themselves personally and professionally in their future social work practice with the emphasis on their professional skills, self-care, and ability to grow and learn through cooperation with other individuals, cultures, institution, and specific groups.
Nikola Jovic (he/him/his)
Belgrade, Serbia
Assistant Professor
Nikola Jovic, Ph.D. is a researcher and assistant professor at the University of Belgrade Faculty of Political Science, Serbia. He defended his Ph.D. thesis on the topic "The Role of Emotions in Decision Making” at the University of Belgrade in 2021. He has conducted over 100 research projects for companies, NGOs, think tanks, international institutions, academic institutions, embassies, and political parties. His academic interests lie primarily in the fields of emotional decision-making, campaign management, and public opinion research. The SUSI program inspires him to explore diverse perspectives beyond his primary field of interest, with a focus on cultural exchange and networking. He anticipates that the program will offer a deeper and more insightful understanding of U.S. culture, values, history, and institutions. In his free time, he enjoys basketball and modern art, particularly street art.
Metin Unver
Istanbul, Turkiye
Associate Professor
Metin Unver is an associate professor of history at Istanbul University. He completed his Ph.D. thesis in 2012. His current research interest includes 19th-century Ottoman institutions, both central and provincial, and foreign relations of the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century. He teaches undergraduate and graduate courses on 19th-century Ottoman history and the history of the United States from colonial times to WWI. He has been organizing national and international symposiums, conferences, and workshops on various subjects of Ottoman history particularly on Balkan cities under Ottoman rule. His aim in participating in the SUSI program is to gain a better knowledge of American political thought, the decision-making process, and the parties involved in the process. He plans to incorporate his SUSI experience into his current course on U.S. history as well as into a new undergraduate course about the 19th-century American political system that he will launch in the next academic year.
Hasina Ndeketa (she/her/hers)
Blantyre, Malawi
Hasina Ndeketa is an assistant lecturer in the Language and Communication Department of the Malawi University of Business and Applied Sciences. She has taught for over 5 years, and her areas of focus include literature (including American), social & behaviour change communication, and gender studies. Hasina has also coordinated various gender-integrated development projects in her roles outside of academia. She studied for her BA at the University of Malawi and just completed an MA in Health and Behaviour Change Communication at the same institution. She also holds a PG diploma in International Gender Studies from the University of Iceland where she was a Gender Equality Studies Training Program 2022 fellow. Hasina is also a Certified Protection from Sexual Exploitation and Harassment (PSEAH) trainer and module developer, as she is very dedicated to efforts that reduce gender-based violence in higher education. Through the SUSI program, she looks forward to gaining a “lived” experience of American life as that will deepen her knowledge of American cultures which she can incorporate into the American content she teaches. Hasina loves to read, watch documentaries, and watches news channels the same way people binge on TV shows.
Ahmad Amr Ali Abdeltawab (he/him/his)
Cairo, Egypt
Ahmad serves as an assistant lecturer in the Faculty of Law at the British University in Egypt (BUE). Prior to his tenure at BUE, Ahmad held the position of International Cooperation Officer at both the Ministry of International Cooperation and the Ministry of Local Development. His responsibilities in these roles included representing the ministries in dealings with international organizations, embassies, and donors. At present, Ahmad teaches a range of modules to both undergraduate and postgraduate students. He is also pursuing a Ph.D. in public law, with a keen interest in the intersection of law and technology and the challenges that arise from this interplay.
Winnie Rugutt (she/her/hers)
Nairobi, Kenya
Lecturer
Winnie Rugutt is a lecturer and researcher at the Institute of Diplomacy and International Studies (IDIS) at the University of Nairobi. She is currently also pursuing her Ph.D. in international studies at the same institution. Her specialization lies in international relations, political economy, and development, with a specific focus on African affairs. She leads the Africa Center for Studies of the United States of America (ACSUS) at the University of Nairobi, where she provides strategic guidance and oversees daily operations. The center is dedicated to fostering intellectual and cultural exchanges that deepen our understanding of Africa-U.S. interactions. Previously, she coordinated programs that facilitated academic collaboration between the University of Nairobi and Kenya’s National Defense College. Her passion lies in exploring the impact of foreign actors and influences on the daily lives of African citizens. Her ultimate goal is to contribute to academic discourse and inform policy decisions that can positively shape the future of Africa. The SUSI program will enable her to scrutinize how the U.S. engages with the African continent, an area of particular interest in her research and advocacy endeavors. She is particularly curious about understanding the nexus between American domestic systems and their influence on foreign policy in African states.
